Stoking device



Nov. 17, 1936. F- BALZER 2,061,130

STOKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 30, 1935 FIG N J1; 1" INVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED i s Es PATENT OFFICE STOKING DEVICEFrederick L. Balzer, Beaver Falls, Pa. v Application November 30, 1935Serial No. 52,377

2 Claims. (01. 294-11) are secured to the hollow rod l, and the blade 3,i V

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices forstoking fuel beds and the like and is particularly adapted for use inthe stoking of small furnaces.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a combinationstoking tool which shall be especially adapted for the arrangement ofthe fuel beds of furnaces to obtain maximum combustion efficiencythereby eliminating the waste of combustible gases by passage throughthe stack.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a stoking deviceof the above designated character which shall be provided with means forremoving large or small clinkers from the fuel bed and which means shallbe operable in a convenient and accessible manner without exposing theuser to the intense heat of the furnace.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a stokingdevice of the above designated character which shall be of aconstruction and shape to render it useful for removing the ashes fromthe ash pit of a furnace.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent froma consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereofin which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view partially in section of a stoking deviceembodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 a sectional elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 an end elevational view; and

Figure 4 a cross section near the end taken along the line 4-4, Figure2, with a portion of a gripping jaw broken away.

With reference to the figures of the drawing, the numeral l designates ahollow rod or tube having a grip or handle portion 2 at one end and arelatively wide and long blade 3 at the other end, the device inappearance resembling a hoe. As appears in Figures 1 and 3 of thedrawing, the blade element 3 is provided with ribs or corrugations 4which give it a structural shape, making it highly resistant to bendingand other distorting stresses. The blade element is attached to the endof the hollow rod l by welding it direct on the face of the rod or itmay be otherwise secured in a manner not to interfere with the freemovement of a rod 5 that is disposed within the hollow member I.

The free end of the blade 3 is inclined or bent at 6, Figures 2 and 3,to constitute one face of a jaw-like member, which cooperates with amovable jaw I having a serrated surface 8, and which is pivoted at 9 toa pair of angle brackets 10 that as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The assembly of the jaw and its relation to the angle brackets andhollow rod 1 is shown in the enlarged view of Figure 4 wherein it isshown that a portion of the jaw extends through a slot II of the tubeinto the bifurcated end of the rod 5 to which it is pivotally joined bya rivet I2.

With reference to Figure 2 of the drawing, the rod 5 within the tube Iextends into the handle portion 2 and is itself provided with a handleor grip I3, which constitutes an abutment for a helical spring M, theother end of which abuts against the end face l5 of the hollow rod I.

As hereinbefore stated under the objects of the invention, the stokingdevice has several uses as follows:

The normal position of the jaw 1 is that shown in Figure 2 in whichposition it is held by coil spring M which extends rod 5 in thedirection of the grip or handle 2, thus pulling on the short lever ofjaw l and causing the jaw to abut against the in-turned end B of theblade 3. In this position, the blade 3 may be inserted in the ash pit toscrape and remove the ashes therefrom by placing it lengthwise on thefloor of the pit.

By holding the stoking device in the position shown in Figure 2, it canbe used to break-up clinkers and to sink into the fuel bed to loosen upthe bed. Such manipulation of the stoking device will bring the clinkersto the top of the fuel bed, and by gripping the handle [3 of the rod 5,the latter can be pressed forward, causing jaw l to retract as shown bydotted lines in Figure 2 and by permitting the handle I 3 to be extendedeither by action of the coil spring M or by pulling it, or both, jaw 1will engage either a very small or large clinker by coaction with theface and particularly the end 6 of the blade 3. By releasing the jaw 1whereby it assumes the normal position of Figure 2, the blade 3 can bedeeply sunk into the fuel bed at the portion adjacent the door of thefirebox, and the hot ashes can then be pushed forward against the backwall of the firebox. In this manner, all of the hot coals or ashes canbe displaced from the front portion of the firebox adjacent the chargingdoor to make place for coal or coke, which is charged into the firebox.

This method of stoking fuel beds is most efficient as the products ofcombustion, including the volatile gases, must pass over the hot coalsto pass to the stack, usually located at the rear of the firebox, andthe combustible gases are thus consumed to generate heat instead ofpassing in an unburnt condition into the stack.

One of the features of the hereinbefore described stoking device is thenormal bias of the jaw 1 against the blade 3, which leaves the operatorfree to grip only the handle 2 for manipulating the stoking device inthe hereinbefore described manner. It is only necessary to manipulatehandle l3, when the device is utilized for the removal of clinkers fromthe fuel bed.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the principles J herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A stoking device comprising a relativelywide and long blade having ahollow manipulatingrod secured thereto, said blade and rod beinghoe-like in appearance, said blade being corrugated and" axis of theblade, and a rod within said manipulating rod pivotally connected tosaid movable jaw, said movable jaw being of substantially less widththan the corrugated blade.

2. A stoking device comprising a relatively wide blade of substantiallength having a hollow manipulating rod attached at the top end thereof,said rod having a looped grip at the opposite end thereof, a movable jawpivotally mounted adjacent the blade, the jaw extending substantiallyparallel to the inner face of the blade, a rod disposed in the hollowrod portion and extending beyond the end thereof, said inner rod beingpivoted to the movable jaw, and being provided with-a grip, and a springdisposed between the grip and hollow rod to normally bias the inner rodin a manner to extend the movable jaw into abutting engagement with theblade, said blade and jaw having their ends in-turned to constitute agripping jaw, and said movable jaw being of substantially less Widththan the blade and having its in-turned portion serrated.

FREDERICK L. BALZER.

